1. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

2. SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF BEHAVIOR
CHAPTER 1
SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF BEHAVIOR

3. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Explain the reasons for understanding research methods
Describe the scientific approach to learning about behavior, and contrast it with pseudoscientific research

4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Define and give examples of the four goals of scientific research: description, prediction, determination of cause, and explanation of behavior
Define and describe basic and applied research

5. USES OF RESEARCH METHODS
Increasingly important in public policy and judicial decisions
Important when developing and assessing the effectiveness of goal oriented programs

6. USES OF RESEARCH METHODS
Informed citizens increasingly need knowledge of research methods
Many occupations require the use of research findings

7. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Limitations of Intuition
Intuition relies unquestioningly on personal judgment
Involves cognitive and motivational biases
Erroneous conclusions about cause and effect
Example: Illusory correlation

8. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Examples of Authority
News media
Books
Government officials
Religious figures

9. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Limitations of Authority
Many believe statements based on authority; scientific approach rejects this notion and requires much more evidence before conclusions can be drawn

10. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Skepticism, Science, and the Empirical Approach
Empiricism
Falsifiability
Peer review
Integrating Intuition, Skepticism, and Authority

11. Elements of Goodstein’s Evolved Theory of Science
Observations accurately reported to others +
Search for discovery and verification of ideas
Open exchange and competition among ideas
Peer review of research

12. THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
Characteristics of pseudoscience
Hypotheses generated are not typically testable
If scientific tests are reported, methodology is not scientific and validity of data is questionable
Supportive evidence is anecdotal and does not cite scientific references
Claims ignore conflicting evidence
Claims tend to be vague, and appeal to pre-conceived ideas
Claims are never revised

13. GOALS OF SCIENCE Description of Behavior Prediction of Behavior
Determining the Causes of Behavior
Temporal precedence
Covariation of the cause and effect
Alternative explanations
Explanation of Behavior

14. BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Basic Research
Fundamental questions about the nature of behavior
- Theoretical issues often concern basic phenomena such as cognition, emotion, motivation, learning, psychobiology, personality development, and social behavior.

15. BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Conducted to address issues in which there are practical problems and potential solutions.
Program evaluation

16. BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Comparing Basic and Applied Research
Neither is considered superior to the other
Applied research is often guided by theories and findings of basic research
Findings in applied settings often require modification of existing theories and spur more basic research
Basic research is crucial to public policy